Arkansas Tech football returned home to a renovated Buerkle Field for the first time since November 2005, and posted a 21-6 victory over Texas College here on a rainy Saturday evening. Last season, Tech played all five of its home games at Russellville High School's Cyclone Stadium thanks to the school's $4-million "Return to Glory" capital campaign.

Saturday's game, which was Tech's first home game of the 2007 season, was delayed 37 minutes due to lightning with 10:04 remaining in the first quarter and Tech holding a 7-0 lead. It was the second time this season Tech had a game delayed due to lightning. The Wonder Boys' Aug. 23 game at No. 2 ranked Northwest Missouri State was called with 2:30 left in the first quarter.

"Our offense play poorly tonight. They obviously were affected by the wet balls," Tech head football coach and athletic director Steve Mullins said. "But some of the credit goes to Texas College."

Due to a steady rain that fell throughout most of the first half making the field a sloppy mess, both teams struggled hanging on to the football as they combined to record 14 fumbles, including losing five of those fumbles. On the night, Tech had eight fumbles and lost three of them and has now has 10 fumbles on the season, while Texas College had six fumbles.

"We need to take better care of the football. There are no excuses for fumbling as many times as we did," Mullins said. "We should've been used to playing with a wet ball after the past couple of days of rain."

The Wonder Boys got on the scoreboard first on a 1-yard run by sophomore running back Tim Childress to complete a 12-play, 41-yard drive with 10:09 left in the first quarter. Following Childress' run, the game was delayed for lightning. Childress led the Tech offense with a game-high 137 yards on 29 carries.

Once play resumed, Tech drove 41 yards in seven plays and pushed in front 14-0 on a 1-yard run by senior running back Marcus Godfrey with 5:24 left in the first quarter.

The Steers (1-2) got on the scoreboard just a little over 5 minutes into the second quarter as they scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery by Derrick Russell after Israel Sumbler fumbled the ball in the end zone following an 11-yard run. The extra point by Nolan Williams was no good.

In the third quarter, Tech pushed in front 21-6 when junior cornerback Tito Jose returned a fumble 44 yards for a touchdown with 11:55 left in the quarter.

Jose's score proved to be the final points of the game as the team's slogged it out combining for 209 yards and eight fumbles, including three lost fumbles.

With its offense struggling in the second half, Tech's defense began to exert itself as junior linebacker Cedric Cursh sacked Steers quarterback X'Zavier Bloodsaw at Tech's 10 more than 12 minutes left in the game. Following Cursh's sack, senior defensive tackle Hollis Hoskins blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt by Nolan Williams and then freshman free safety Terrance Boykin, who was making his first career start in just his second collegiate game, collected a fumble with under 10 minutes remaining in the game to stall another Steers drive.

"Our defense played well tonight, to hold a team with some offensive playmakers to just six points shows how well they played," Mullins said. "In addition to the defense, I thought our kicking game had a good night considering the weather."

Junior punters Nick McCaskill and Michael Podobnik combined to punt six times for 248 yards and averaged 41.6 yards per kick. McCaskill had two punts for 70 yards (35.0 average), while Podobnik punted four times for 178 yards (44.5 average) and had 56-yard punt in the third quarter.

Tech's offense, which was outgained, 270-230 on the night, gained 141 yards on the ground, but junior quarterback Cole Barthel, the reigning Gulf South Conference offensive player of the week, was just 10-for-16 through the air for 79 yards.

The Steers were led offensively by Bloodsaw, who was 18-for-27 throwing the ball for 142 yards, while Sumbler gained 68 yards on 13 carries in the loss.

Tech will return to action at 6 p.m. Saturday when it opens GSC play at West Georgia.